Apparatus for classifying washers or the like



Dec. l, 1931. w. D. KMENTT 1,834,545-

APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING WASHERS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1929 JF/577275 4 sHEmE/E Z7 'h/snif v if; n. ggf/5- Patented Dec. 1, 1931 t UNITED STATES @PATENT orties WALDEMAR D. KMENTT, or AKRON, 01110, AssIGNoR To THE B. F. Goonmcrr COMPANY. oF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or New Yom:

vAIPIEAIIELAJTU S FOR CLASSIFYING WSHERS 0R THE LIKE Application filed February 23, 1929.' Serial No. 341,982.

This invention relates to apparatus for longitudinal chambers. The shell 16 is proclassifying articles such as the frusto-conical vided with oppositely disposed openings Washers which are incorporated in rubber through which respective charges 19, 19 'of heels for example, according to a determinate washers to be classified are introduced into standard of maximum size or dimension. the chambers, said openings being provided 55 Washers may exceed the maximum limit when with respective closures or covers 20, 2O the metal composing them is too thick, when hinged to the shell at 20, 20a. The shell 16 burrs project from their surfaces, or when also is provided with relatively narrow longithey are bent or otherwise deformed. tudinal openings or slots 21, 21, extending 1o The apparatus is especially useful for from one end wall 17 to the other, said slots e0 selecting washers to be used in apparatus for being oppositely. disposed in the shell and mounting washers upon the supporting. pins positioned adjacent the opposite margins ofv of rubber-heel molds, wherein the washers the partition 18 at opposite sides thereof. The require to be substantially perfect in form so slots 21 are adapted to Vpermit washers classii as to pass in orderly procession down feedlied as acceptable by classifying mechanism 65 chutes to the mold pins, such an apparatus bewithin the respective chambers to escape ing shown in my copending application for from said chambers. n Letters Patent filed March 5, 1929, Serial No. Extending lengthwise of each chamber ad- 344,281. jacent the slot 21, and journaledin the end- The chief objects of my invention are to walls 17, 17 of the hopper, is a rock-shaft22 70 provide an improved apparatus for autohaving mounted thereon a gate 23. The hub matically and rapidly separating perfect portion of the latter fills the space between washers fromamass of washers including imthe shell 16 and therock-shaft 22 and the perfect ones. Other objects will be manifest gate -is formed with a tapered nose portion 24 25 as the specification proceeds. at its free margin, one face of which is adapt- 75 Of the accompanying drawings ed to bear against the partition 18 to close Fig. 1 is a transverse section through apoff the slot 21 from the interior of the champaratus embodying and adapted to carry out ber against the general escape of the charge my invention in its preferred form. of washers. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. That face of the gate 23 whichy is adapted 80 Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the apparatus as to bear against the partition 18 is formed viewed from the right of Fig. 1. with a plurality of adjacent parallel grooves Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. 25, 25,V disposed transversely with relation Referring to the drawings, the apparatus to the rock-shaft 22, and thek face of the partin comprises a pair of spaced-apart, upright tion 18 against which said gate is adapted 35 brackets 10, 10, the upper Vportions of which to bear is formed with a plurality of parallel are formed respectively with journals A11, 11 ribs 26, 26 which ribs are disposed parallel for a rotatableshaft 12 mounted therein at to and intermediate the grooves 25 of the its respective end portions, one end portion lgate 23. rPhe ribs 26 define intermediate 40 of the shaft extending beyond its journal grooves 27, 27 in the partition 18, which 90 and being there provided with a sprocket 13 grooves are associated with the respective which is engaged by a sprocket chain 14 congrooves 25 of the gate 23, when the latter nected with a suitable source of power (not bears against the partition 18, to definek a shown). plurality of chutes or passages. As clearly Mounted upon the shaft 12 is a hollow shown in Fig. 2, the grooves 25 have sloped 95 drum o r hopper 15 comprising a generally sides so that the chutes accommodate the cylindrical shell 16 and having end-walls 17, frusto-conical washers commonly used in 17. A partition 18 is mounted within the rubberheels. hopper 15, being diametrically disposed The arrangement of the chutes is such that therein so as to divide the hopper into two washers may pass therethrough, from the inim" .one edge thereof are provided with respecterior of the chamber to the discharge slot 21 therein, and the passages are of such size and shape that only such washers as contorni closely to the acceptable standard of size and dimension will pass freely therethrough, other washers amming in the chutes or the entrances thereof or not entering at all. rlhe ribs 26 extend from beneath the gate 28 substantially to the middle of the partition 18 so that washers moving across the partition toward the gate 28 will align themselves with the grooves therein before reaching the gate.

Each of the rock-shafts 22 has one of its.

end portions extended through one end-wall .17 of the hopper 15 and provided outside thereof with a lever-arm 28 having a roller 29 journaled at its tree end, said rollers being yieldingly urged against a stationary cam 8O 'having its camY surface surrounding the axis of the hopper, the cam being secured to the-journal bracket 10 by a screw 81. The cam80 comprises two concentric zones of -which one zone, 80a, is relatively short and .25.

has agreater radius-than the other zone of 'the cam. Tension springs 82, 82 each secured at one of its ends to one of the lever arms 28 and at its other end to a stud 88 projecting laterally from the eiid-wall 17 are provided for urging` the cam-rollers 29 against the cam 80. v

rlhe arrangement is such that the cam 80 is adapted to swing the gates 28 away from the partit-ion 18, and thus to open the chutes provided by the grooves 25, 27 in the gates and partition, as each gate reaches a determinate high position in the orbit of the hopper. Y c

Mounted in each chamber of the Ahoppei 15 is a baille 84 comprising a sheet-metal structure having. an arcuate portion concen- .tric with the hopper and a radially disposed `end portion. Each baliie extends longitudinally of the chamber throughout its length and the end portions of each baille adjacent tive integral ears, such as the ears 85, 85, Fig. 1. which are secured to the end walls 17 ot.

the hopper, andthe opposite marginal portions ot the baiiles are secured to respective tie-bolts 86, 8G which connect the end-walls 17 of the hopper to reinforce the saine. The bafl'les 84- are disposed with their convex sides towardthe gates 28, with the sides secured to the tie-bolts 86 positioned adjacent but spaced from the shell 16, and with their op- .posite sides adjacent but spaced from the partition 18.

Y rIhe arrangement is such that only a liniited number of washers 19 will pass bctween the batlles 84 and the partition 18, and provides that all washers that do so pass will continue to move past the nose of th'egate 28 so that those washers which are properly ypositioned within the grooves between .the

ribs 26 of the partition 18 will move into the chutes provided by said grooves and the grooves 25 of the gates.

A chute 87 is mounted below the hopper 15, between the brackets 10, for directing the washers 19 passing from the hopper into a suitable receptacle (not shown).

1n the operation of the apparatus described, charges of the washers 19 to be sorted are introduced .into theV respective'chain- Vbers of the yhopper 15 through the openings provided therefor, the covers 2O oi said openings are then locked inplace, and rotation oit the hopper is started. Since the mechanisin in both chambers of the hopper is identical, it will be suli'icient to describe only thc operation of that in the right-hand chamber of the apparatus as it is viewed in Fig. 1, starting at the time the partition 18 is disosed in vertical ositioii with the Uate 28 2 y C i bearing` against the partition, and the wash' ers 19 resting in a heap in the bottom of the hopper.

The hopper rotates in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 so that the mass of washers 19 rests substantially entirely upon the partition 18, at the opposite side thereof from the gate 28, when the partition attains horizontal position. As the partition moves past horizontal position and elevates that side of its structure. upon which the formed a heap thereupon which extender,Y above the nose of the gate and thereby prevented the washers above the gate from moving toward it. Those washers which are within the limits of the size and shape desired and which fall into the grooves,l

between the ribs 26 of the partition 18'in Vproper position, move downward in said grooves and through the chutes provided by the latter and the grooves 25 in the adjacent tare ot the gate 28, and pass from the hopper;

15 through the slot 21 in the shell 16. lWashers which lie in the grooves of the partition in inverted position pass over the sloping nose of the gate 28 when they encounter the washers to slide over the gate so that they do not pile up and obstruct the entrances to the chutes.

As the partition 18 reaches and passes the vertical position, .the mass of washers lying` saine, and said sloping nose permits other against the gate 23 naturally seek the lowest point of the hopper and roll and slide away from the gate as the shell 16 moves under them and travels upward in its orbit. As the partition 1S again passes horizontal position, the balile 34 reaches a tilted position which permits the washers carried upon its concave face to flow therefrom and fall onto the. mass of washers in the bottom of the hopper.

Before the gate 23 reaches the top of its orbit, wherein it is disposed in inverted )osition, the roller 29 on its lever-arm 28 engages the Zone 30 of the cam 30 with the result that the rock-shaft 22 is moved Y angularly in a manner to swing the gate away from the partit-ion 1S, and thus to separate the grooved surfaces which deline the chutes. Any defcctive washers which may have become jammed or lodged in the chutes are thus permitted. to drop therefrom, into the mass of washers at the bottom of the hopper, before said mass again is presented to the gate. rlChe gate is closed by the spring 32 acting upon the lever-arm 28 when the roller 29 passes olf the zone 30n of the cam 30.

T his completes one cycle of operations for one chamber of the hopper 15, it being understood that the same operations occur in both chambers, successively as the. hopper rotates. When washers are no longer delivered from the discharge slots 21 of the hopper, the latter may be opened and the washers remaining in the hopper discarded as defective.

lliiy invention is susceptible of modification, and I do not wholly limit my claims to the exact procedure y or specific construction shown and described.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for classifying articles, the combination of a gravity chute adapted to permit the passage therethrough only of articles of acceptable dimensions, means for causing a. supply of articles to fall in chance arrangement toward said chute, means in the path of fall of the articles for diverting all but a shallow stream of the articles away from said chute, and means for retaining and subsequently returning' the diverted articles to the common supply of articles.

2. In apparatus for classifying articles, the combination of a gravity chute, means for periodically feeding a supply of articles in chance arrangement toward said chute, a concave baille so positioned with relation to the course of the articles being fed as to divert and retain all but a shallow stream of saidA articles and means for inverting the balile to restore the diverted articles to the rest of the supply articles.

8. In apparatus for classifying articles, 'the combination of a gravity classifying chute for the articles, means for feeding a mass of articles in chance arrangement toward said chute, an arcuate baille so positioned with relation to the course of the articles as to divert and retain some of the same, means for moving the chute and baille to a position where the articles fall by gravity into a common mass remote from said chute, and means for opening said chute while it is so positioned to clear the same of articles lodged therein.

4t. In apparatus for classifying articles, the combination of an article-supporting member adapted to support a mass of the articles, a gate at one side of said member formed with a groove and co-operating with said member to define a chute, means for tilting said article-supporting member to different positions to cause the articles to feed by gravity respectively toward and away from said chute, and means for opening said gate to clear it of articles lodged therein.

5. In apparatus for classifying articles, the combination of a hopper having a delivery aperture, a gate across said aperture formed with a groove adapted to permit the passage of articles of acceptable dimensions, means for periodically presenting a mass of articles in chance arrangement to said gate, and means for periodically opening said gate to release articles lodged in the groove therein, at intervals alternating with the presenting of the mass of articles to the gate.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including means for rotating the hopper to effect the periodic presentation of the mass of articles to the gate. y

T. In apparatus for classifying articles,

the combination of a rotatable hopper having 7 delivery openings at opposite sides thereof, a partition'in said hopper dividing it into two chambers with the delivery openings adjacent said partition, respective gates associated with said partition 'for closing said delivery openings, said gates being formed with respective grooves for admitting the passage therethrough of articles of acceptable dimensions, means for rotating the hopper to present masses of articles in the respective chambers periodically to the gates therein, and means for opening the gat-es as they attain a determinate position in their orbit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of February, 1929.

VVALDEMAR D. KMENTT. 

